Customer Reviews

Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving

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With a title like this, how could I not pick up this book? I love the way these authors approach positive emotion from a totally different angle - they make it about GIVING TO OTHERS. No, not money, silly! Rather, time, consideration, and respect. This book shows us that a happy and fulfilling life is within our grasp - but we have to get outside of ourselves - and express love to others - in order to experience the joy that comes from making a difference to others.

The authors outline ten ways of Giving (each of which is a different form of loving others): Celebration, Generativity, Forgiveness, Courage, Humor, Respect, Compassion, Loyalty, Listening, and Creativity. One cool thing about the book is the setup: each chapter is further divided into several "lessons," and at the end of each chapter is another segment of an assessment. By the end of the book you'll have a complete profile of yourself in a dozen different dimensions, and thus the data you need to create an action plan.

Author Dr Stephen Post cites clinical data to back up the title. I have been doing many of the things mentioned in the book, but did not realize that my sense of well being, happiness and relatively stress free life is due in part to the many hours I spend helping others. You will find that giving to others is essential to good health. I have increased my volunteer work with others as a result of reading this book. After each of the thirteen chapters there is a twenty question test to see how well you are doing with Humor, Courage, Respect, Compassion, Listening and etc.
This did take me some time to read as there is much to digest, I strongly urge you to not only read ths book, but try and put into practice some of the activites that you may not be involved in now. It is true that good things really do happen to good people.

I love this book. I've bought three copies to give away and told all my friends about it. It's great to read how doing good things for others not only helps them but me too. It has reversed that feeling for me of being a sucker when I want to help others or volunteer or do something without pay. Now I think, I'm healthier! Love it!!

I initially picked up this book because the title kind of set me off.....and not in a good way. Having undergone a family tragedy, I thought the title was saying that good things happen to good people and, well, vice versa!! How wrong I was!!! After taking this book from the library and reading a chapter, I immediately purchased a copy so that I could underline and re-read this book. I highly recommend this book as something that can help you move towards healing and move towards an improved way of living!! Read it!!